Beautiful Monsters
by The Other Problem
Summary: You know, vampires and humans die just the same.
1. kill or be killed

"But why should we kill them?" Ichiru asked, and in the sudden silence his question seemed to echo.

Father looked down at him, frowning. "Vampires kill people, Ichiru. It is in their nature. Therefore, they must be eliminated before they cause more harm than what they'd already done."

"Vampires must be killed because they're bad, and they're bad because they want to _kill_ ," Ichiru said, in an odd tone.

"Yes," Father said with conviction.

Later that night, Zero sneaked into Ichiru's room. Ichiru was wide awake and smiled when he saw Zero.

"I didn't even hear you," Ichiru said mildly, but somehow loaded with meaning.

"Why do you sound like that?" Zero asked bluntly, sliding underneath the sheets.

"Father said those who want to kill must be killed," Ichiru whispered. Zero drew nearer, their foreheads touching. "Then, when I overheard Father say he should kill me, should I kill him before he does?"

Zero gripped Ichiru's arm tightly. Ichiru closed his eyes, wishing he could take the words back, wishing he had never heard his parents casually discuss ways to put him down without causing much suspicion.

But Zero said, quietly, firmly, "If that's what you want."


	2. why are you crying?

The beautiful woman on the cherry blossom tree was a pureblood. Zero said so.

Ichiru walked towards her with shaking legs.

"Why are you crying?"


	3. ex-human

"This is Zero. He's staying with us from now on."

Yuki dragged her eyes from the boy's bloody neck, to his empty eyes, to her father's grim face.

"Yuki, his family was killed by a vampire." Cross's hands tightened on Zero's shoulders. "Please take care of him while I call the police."

Zero did not move, and for a long time neither did Yuki. They stared at each other, two children lost in this bloody mess.

"I need a bath," Zero said.

Yuki started. "Yes! I can lead the way and give you some clothes and towels if you want."

Zero nodded.

In the bathroom, Yuki couldn't help but stare at Zero's neck again.

"I was bitten by a Pureblood," Zero said, so calmly. "In a few days, or months, or years, her venom could start acting up and turn me into a Level D. If I don't drink her blood, I will descend into Level E and go on a rampage. If this happens, your father will kill me before any harm comes to the civillians." She was frozen in place. "Does this bother you?"

Yuki ran.


	4. apology

Kaien knocked, lightly enough that it was a request instead of a demand.

Zero opened the door and looked up at him with the same neutral expression he'd worn since Cross picked him up from the ruins of the Kiriyus' latest and last home.

"May I come in, Zero?"

"It's your house," Zero said, stepping aside to let him in.

"But this is your room," Kaien countered gently.

Zero sat on the bed while Kaien pulled up a chair, so that they were sitting face to face.

"I'm sorry," Zero said, "for scaring your daughter."

Kaien shook his head. "You only told the truth."

They fell silent.

"I've come to apologize as well," Kaien started again, "on behalf of Yuki. I am sure you are well aware that Yuki is not mine by blood. Her real family, who she could no longer remember, was killed by vampires. Her first memory is of an E attempting to eat her – and a Pureblood saving her from certain death."

"You don't have to explain anything."

"I do," Kaien said firmly. "You are part of this household now. And I've decided that . . . we can be open with each other. We can be honest."

Zero did not respond.

"I still have a lot of explaining to do to Yuki as well," Kaien said thoughtfully, more to himself than to Zero. "I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast, Zero. You can knock on my door if you're ever in need of anything."

"I will," Zero said, and Kaien smiled.


	5. questioning

Yuki had wrapped herself up in a cocoon of blankets.

"Yuki," Kaien said, trying not to startle her. He kneeled beside her bed.

"What are Purebloods, daddy?" She curled further up into herself. "Why did Zero say you'll kill him?"


	6. a non-meeting

"Yuki, is something wrong?"

Yuki blinked. She saw Kaname's worried expression and tried to smile. "It's nothing!"

His mouth twisted into an unhappy expression, wine red eyes lowering in disappointment. Yuki bit her lip and wavered.

"Kaname . . . you're a really powerful vampire, aren't you?"

"Yes," he said, watching her.

"Does that mean you're a Pureblood?"

Kaname was startled to hear the word fall from her mouth. He glanced at the Chairman, but Kaien Cross was looking away – in the same direction Yuki had been staring at earlier.

Ah.

"I am. Does this bother you?"

Yuki flinched. "He asked me the same thing."

"Are you talking about Kiriyu Zero?"

It was Yuki's turn to be startled. "You know Zero?"

"He has become rather notorious, I'm afraid," Kaname said vaguely. "Can I meet him?"

"Why?" Yuki said, with an unexpected edge.

"He's staying with you and the Chairman, isn't he? Any friend of yours is also a friend of mine," Kaname replied.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Cross and Yuki said simultaneously. They looked at each other and smiled weakly.

"I see," Kaname said, and expertly directed the conversation to lighter topics.

By the time it had grown too late for Yuki to stay awake, Kaname left. His chauffer was waiting outside, the car already vibrating and warm.

He looked back at the house. Zero Kiriyu was staring at Kaname from a second floor window. Giving in to impulse, Kaname smiled and waved.

Zero did not smile, but he waved back.


	7. freedom

Shizuka carried Ichiru effortlessly, bundling him up in the long sleeves of her kimono to protect him from the winter cold.

"Where are we going?" Ichiru asked.

"Home," Shizuka replied, smiling. Blood coated her mouth messily. Ichiru knew for a fact that it was his brother's.

 _I'm sorry it has to be like this, Zero._


	8. drink

Ichiru stared dubiously at the rich red liquid Shizuka had poured into his cup.

"It will make you better," the pureblood had said vaguely, before disappearing in a graceful swirl of silk. She was probably going to talk to the vampires now housing them, nobles with Shizuka's hair and delicate porcelain doll features. Perhaps distant cousins of some sort. Vampire family trees were extremely complicated, especially with all that inbreeding.

The red liquid was Shizuka's blood, Ichiru knew. He thought of Zero, panting weakly, his blood on Shizuka's lips.

If he drank this cup, would he be drinking from Zero too?

Ichiru touched the rim of the cup with his lips, and threw his head back to drink.

It tasted like iron. Ichiru didn't know why he expected anything else.


	9. early morning

"Kaname, why aren't you sleeping?"

"I can ask you the same, Takuma."

The blond Noble joined his friend at the balcony. The sky was turning violet, which would soon give way to red, then the bright and cruel sun. It was a bit like tempting fate, standing here, with Kaname by his side.

"I was just finishing _Desu Desu Flower_ 's latest release," Takuma answered absently, mind lost among the wonderfully-colored clouds.

"You and your BL manga," Kaname said fondly. Takuma looked at him. "I do read the summary of those comics you make me buy, you know."

Takuma grinned unrepentantly. "Did the store clerk give you weird looks?"

"She looked sad when she saw what my purchase was." Kaname's lips quirked in amusement.

"Humans can be so adorable sometimes!" Takuma laughed.

Kaname's smile turned soft. "Indeed."


	10. about trust

Kaname knew that if he asked, _Do you trust me?_

Takuma would say yes, and mean it wholeheartedly.

And wasn't that just so frightening?


	11. the association

The Hunters Association Headquarters was located less than an hour's walk away from what would soon become Cross Academy. Zero and Kaien were not looking forward to the trip, but unfortunately they had stretched the Association's limits far enough.

Nobody stared at them outright once they entered, but Kaien had sensed his fellow hunters' agitation easily. They were officially outsiders for these people. But that analogy wasn't quite right – perhaps it would be more accurate to call Kaien and Zero the annoying cousins who you wished to disown but never quite could.

Kaien kept his hand near the sword swinging at his side the entire time.


	12. smile

"My, my – you've grown so much since I last saw you, Zero-kun!" the President exclaimed.

Kaien squeezed Zero's shoulder.

"Thank you for having us," Zero said. They bowed in unision.

"Of course!" the President said, giggling behind her fan. She hooked an arm through Zero's and led him through the halls, towards her office. Kaien followed a step behind. "Tell me, Zero-kun, how has your stay been with Kaien-kun so far?"

"He is a very accomodating and kind host, President-sama."

"Oh, yes." The President smiled at Kaien. "So kind, in fact, that he would willingly hide an ex-human from us."

Zero's expression remained placid.

"Not that it's a big issue, of course!" the President laughed. "I'm not the kind of person who likes making mountains out of molehills . . . ah, here we are."

The President's office was as extravagant as its owner. Various porcelain dolls and paper fans decorated the walls, along with ink paintings depicting various scenery. Her desk was of polished dark wood that looked expensive and well-cared for, with intricate carvings of flowers and small forrest animals at its sides. Zero and Kaien took the available soft cushion seats while the President sat on her costumary chair.

"So," she said, smiling genially, "let's sort out the paperwork, shall we?"


	13. cousins

Did Hanabusa really think those puppy dog eyes still worked on him? Akatsuki felt kind of insulted. He did his best to convey how unimpressed he was by the slant of his eyebrows and downturned mouth.

Hana bristled. "Don't look at me like that!"

"That's my line," Akatsuki sighed.

"Anyway," Hanabusa's tone turned cajoling, "Akatsuki, you know I won't ask this of you if I thought it isn't really really important!"

"Which is what you say _every time_ , Hana," Akatsuki replied.

"Argh! Why are you being so difficult?! It's just a goddamn school!"

"Exactly."

"What, afraid I'd show you up with my superb genius brains or something?"

"If thinking that would make you stop bugging me, then yes."

Hanabusa bit his lip.

"Look," Akatsuki said, looking his cousin in the eye to convey how sincerely he meant it, "I'd do a lot of things for you, Hana. Heck, I already did. But I'm not interested in becoming part of whatever Kaname-sama's planning."

"That's why we have to go!" Hanabusa burst out. "He _needs_ us, Aka!"

They stared at each other.

"I'll think about it," Akatsuki conceded.

Hanabusa sniffed. "Just be quick, alright?"


	14. warmth

A/N: Pls just imagine I gave an indication there was a time lapse between the last chapter and this one.

* * *

"Her name," Zero said, "is Shizuka."

Yuki, sat by the fire and a hand-knit blanket around her shoulders, wondered at the chill something as simple as a name brought her. Perhaps it was brought about by Zero's blank expression, the delicate porcelain quality of his skin that looked fragile and cold even in firelight; the quiet horror beyond the simple words; or even an imprint of her own nightmare, transposed over Zero.

"I first saw her days before she actually killed my parents. She was sitting up a Sakura tree," his lips twisted in sardonic amusement, "and crying. It was revenge, I think. She was _definitely_ sad and angry about something."

"What happened, afterwards?"

"I called the Association. They picked me up and cleaned the mess. Gave me a nice blanket too. Then Cross picked me up. He's my next of kin, after Yagari-sensei. The rest, you already know."

Yuki nodded. She did. She was there for the rest of it.

"My turn, huh?" Yuki tried to smile but it came out a bit wobbly. "I – I don't remember much, about what happened to me. I was really young then. What I can remember isn't much, and isn't clear at all. Like, I think I can remember my mom, but sort of in a blurry way. And there was – a lot of blood. And it was snowing, but the blood was still warm. So. Um."

"Kaname-sempai showed up."

"Yeah. An E was about to bite me. Kaname-sempai punched his arm through the E's head. It was really scary. Then he brought me to my dad, and here I am."

They were silent for a long moment.

"I'll make hot chocolate," Zero said.

"With marshmallows?" Yuki asked.

"With as many marshmallows as possible," Zero said fervently.


End file.
